Dogs again

This afternoon as I was coming down the rear stairs, I distinctly heard the pad of paws. I turned and looked back, expecting to see one or both my dogs. There was nothing on the stairs but me. This has happened before; but it never fails to get my attention. It sounds so real. A friend suggested "rats", heaven forbid. but I doubt that. It would take a whale of a rat to make that much noise coming down the stairs; besides if it wasn't on the stairs making that sort of sound; where would it be? We haven't had a lot of footsteps this year but the animal steps seem to be making up for it. By the way, both of my dogs were asleep in front of a fan we have on the floor of the kitchen.